What began as an idea for an annual gospel gathering in 2014 took a decade to reach the stage. Now, The Expression Music International is preparing for Atmosphere of Worship in Cardiff, with a vision combining music, faith and community impact.
CARDIFF, Wales | When the first thoughts of organising an annual gospel music gathering came to the founder of what would eventually become The Expression Music International, there was no organisation, established team or concert platform behind the idea.
That was in 2014.
The vision, according to the organiser, was relatively straightforward but ambitious: create a gathering where people could worship, encounter the Christian faith and use the occasion to support vulnerable people.
It would take another 10 years before that idea reached a public stage.
Now, following an initial concert in 2024 and the subsequent formation of The Expression Music International, the team is preparing for its next major gathering in Wales.
Atmosphere of Worship is scheduled to take place in Cardiff on 12 December 2026, bringing together worshippers and musicians for a free gospel music event that its organisers hope will become part of something considerably bigger.
A vision that waited 10 years
The inspiration behind the project, its founder told Pentacept Reporters, came partly from the biblical account of Jesus feeding thousands with five loaves and two fish.
For him, the significance of that story extended beyond preaching or worship. It demonstrated a combination of faith and practical care for people.
That became central to his thinking about what a gospel gathering could represent.
The idea remained largely a vision until 2024, when the first concert, tagged Wonders of Worship, was organised.
That event became an important turning point.
According to the organiser, attendees subsequently shared testimonies about their experiences at the gathering. The event also raised money for Rescue Village Africa, a charity supporting vulnerable people, including women and children affected by issues such as domestic violence, early marriage and female genital mutilation in Nigeria.
The organiser said funds raised at the event were directed towards the charitable initiative.
For him, that aspect of the gathering became one of its most meaningful outcomes.
But another development was taking place behind the scenes.
From a concert to The Expression Music International
Producing the 2024 event required people willing to commit significant time to rehearsals and preparation.
The organiser recalled musicians, backing vocalists, partners and other supporters rehearsing every Sunday for more than three months ahead of the concert.
Among those he credited with supporting the early vision were TwinSax, Kehinde Olofintuyi, Samuel Oye, Adebisi Adeliyi, Sanjo, Dorcas Atolagbe, Omolola Samuel, Aderiyike Balogun and Samuel Bamidele.
After the concert, however, the ambition began shifting from organising individual events towards creating something more permanent.
The opportunity emerged again when members of the team came together to support TwinSax’s Gratitude Concert in 2026.
Conversations followed about establishing a dedicated group in Cardiff.
At around the same time, another musician involved with the team was developing a group with a similar vision. Discussions about bringing the two ideas together eventually resulted in the creation of The Expression Music International.
The organisation says its identity is built around three words:
Inspire. Worship. Impact.
“We are not just a music group. We are charged to make an impact in the community, inspire people through our music and create an atmosphere for encounters through our worship,” the organiser told Pentacept Reporters.
For the group, that means combining gospel music and evangelism with practical support for vulnerable people.
More than another worship concert
That philosophy is now being carried into Atmosphere of Worship.
The organisers describe the December gathering not simply as a concert, but as an opportunity for worship, reflection and charitable impact.
“Atmosphere of Worship is not just a worship concert, it’s an altar,” the organiser said.
The event is expected to be free to attend.
While music and worship will form the core of the gathering, the team says it also wants to create opportunities for attendees to contribute towards helping people experiencing hardship.
The founder again draws inspiration from the biblical account of the loaves and fish, particularly the principle of giving from what someone already has.
His argument is that even relatively small contributions can collectively make a difference.
“As small as a £1 or £2 meal, there are people that still can’t afford it. We want to create an atmosphere for people to be a blessing to those lives.”
It is an approach that reflects what the organisation sees as the relationship between Christian worship and practical compassion.
Building the vision has not been easy
Putting together live music events in the UK comes with significant practical considerations, from venues and equipment to rehearsals, availability and finance.
The Expression Music International has faced those pressures while trying to establish itself.
Its founder admits that, viewed purely from the perspective of available resources, the scale of the ambition can sometimes appear unrealistic.
His Christian faith, however, has remained central to his willingness to continue.
“When all calculations seem as if this won’t work, God is still God,” he said.
He describes the organisation as being at an early stage and acknowledges that much of what it hopes to achieve remains ahead of it.
But rather than waiting until every resource is available, the team has chosen to begin with what it currently has.
Why Cardiff and why Wales?
The choice of Cardiff is also deliberate.
Wales occupies a significant place in the history of Christian revival, most notably through the Welsh Revival of the early 20th century.
The Expression Music International believes there is room for greater visibility and activity within contemporary Christian music and worship in Wales.
Its founder contrasts what he sees happening in cities such as London, Manchester and elsewhere in Britain with what he perceives as fewer large-scale Christian gatherings receiving similar attention in Wales.
It is important to note that this is the organiser’s assessment of the current religious landscape rather than a measure of Christian activity across Wales.
For the organisation, however, Cardiff represents home and a starting point.
“There is a lot of work to be done here,” he said.
The ambition is to establish a sustainable movement in Wales before extending its activities more widely.
An ambition stretching far beyond December
Atmosphere of Worship may be the immediate focus, but The Expression Music International is already thinking beyond December.
Its founder describes the organisation as being in its “year of little beginnings”, but the long-term ambitions are anything but small.
Within five years, the organisation hopes to have expanded its activities across Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom.
Its most ambitious target is eventually to organise a single gathering attracting as many as 80,000 people, alongside its broader goal of using music and events to promote the Christian faith.
Whether an organisation still in its formative years can ultimately reach that scale remains to be seen.
But its founder sees historical precedent for significant Christian movements beginning in unexpected places.
For him, Wales is not simply where The Expression Music International happens to be starting. It is fundamental to the vision itself.
Atmosphere of Worship comes to Cardiff
The next step in that journey comes on 12 December 2026, when Atmosphere of Worship is scheduled to take place at Boulders, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff.
The red carpet is scheduled for 3pm, with the main event beginning at 4pm.
For those behind The Expression Music International, December’s gathering will represent another opportunity to test a vision that existed for a decade before its first concert ever took place.
The organisation’s longer-term ambitions may stretch across the UK and eventually beyond it, but for now, the focus is Cardiff.
And from there, its founders hope to see how far the vision can travel.
